Alum Raises $9,000 for Climate Initiatives through Epic Bike Ride

Glen Caradus ’88, who maintains strong connection to University and Traill College, says 18-hour ride was for a cause close to his heart

November 16, 2022

After hopping on his bike at 1 a.m., Glen Caradus ’88 didn’t stop pedaling until long after dinnertime.

The nearly 18-hour ride, which spanned 421 km across Peterborough and the Kawarthas, was a fundraiser that raised $9,000 for climate programming at Camp Kawartha and Rowantree Children’s School.

“It feels amazing to raise money for a cause that’s close to my heart,” says the proud Catharine Parr Traill alum. “I know so many people are concerned about climate change but don’t know what to do, so this was a way they could help.”

Glen, who is well known in Peterborough for his eco-activism, lives only a few doors down from his home college in downtown Peterborough. He has fond memories from his time at Trent, which he says was a transformative experience. He volunteered with Trent Radio and learned more about Indigenous history and matters in his first few weeks than he had throughout all of high school. “Trent is also a very supportive environment for those who learn differently,” he says. “I have a learning disability and got the support I needed.”

After graduating with a B.A. in Indigenous Studies, Glen has kept in touch with Trent friends and maintained a strong connection to the University over the decades. He sits on the advisory council of the Trent Aboriginal Cultural Knowledge and Science (TRACKS) program and also attends the annual Trent Temagami Colloquium at Camp Wanapitei – a canoe-tripping camp with a focus on Indigenous ways of knowing and doing.

In another annual canoe trip – Adventure in Understanding organized by the Rotary Club of Peterborough and the Kawarthas – he guides youth aged 16-18 on a six-day trip from Peterborough to Curve Lake and always camps overnight at Trent University. The Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth meet with First Peoples House of Learning staff who host the group and provide talks.

“It’s interesting that I am constantly pulled back to Trent in many different ways as it’s a very special place,” he says. “I really have come full circle.